Lionel Messi’s Diet: What the Soccer Superstar Eats to Stay at the Top

Lionel Messi overhauled his diet in 2014 in an effort to maintain his elite level of performance as his career progressed.

Lionel Messi loves yerba mate. | Gustavo Pagano/Getty Images

Lionel Messi has been at the pinnacle of world soccer for more than two decades, from his emergence and subsequent domination with FC Barcelona to his later years with Inter Miami and Argentina, where success and trophies—including a World Cup—have continued to arrive at an astonishing rate.

While many, quite rightly, point to the Argentine’s extraordinary natural talent—perhaps the greatest of his generation, if not all time—it hasn’t all come down to ability alone.

State-of-the-art training methods, elite conditioning, injury prevention, physiotherapy and plenty of good, old-fashioned hard work away from the pitch have all played a role in allowing Messi to remain at the very top of the sport for so long.

Then there’s his diet—the often overlooked but crucial piece of the puzzle. What Messi eats and drinks has become increasingly important as the years have gone by, helping him maintain the physical demands required to perform at the highest level well into his 30s.

Here, we take a closer look at Messi’s diet and the eating habits that have helped the Argentine magician sustain an extraordinary career at the top of world soccer.

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Messi’s Early Diet

Messi wasn’t always a picture of health. | Daniel Garcia/AFP/Getty Images

Messi’s eating habits were far from what you would expect from a modern elite athlete during the early stages of his career.

Pizza, fast food and soda were among his favorites, while he also enjoyed traditional Argentine dishes such as milanesa, a breadcrumb-coated beef fillet that is typically shallow-fried.

For a while, it hardly seemed to matter. Messi was tearing through defenses, collecting Ballon d’Or awards and helping Barcelona win virtually every major trophy available. But by the early 2010s, the physical demands were becoming harder to ignore. Recurring injuries began to interrupt his rhythm, while he was also occasionally seen vomiting on the pitch before matches.

By 2014, a change was clearly needed. Enter Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser, who would play a major role in transforming Messi’s approach to food.

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Time for a Change

Messi changed his diet in 2014. | Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Messi’s 2014–15 campaign was nothing short of spectacular. He scored 58 goals and added 23 assists as Barcelona swept to a historic treble, lifting the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.

A major part of the change behind the scenes was his work with Poser.

The Italian nutritionist, reportedly recommended to Messi by his Argentina teammate Martín Demichelis, completely revamped his approach to food. Poser identified five staples—water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables—as the foundation of Messi’s new diet, while also encouraging him to reduce his intake of sugar and red meat.

Poser’s approach went beyond food, too, reportedly incorporating Bach flower remedies and emotional therapy as part of a broader approach to Messi’s physical and mental well-being.

#Messi went to Italy last monday to visit his nutritionist, Doctor Giuliano Poser, for some final advice before he takes part in the World Cup this summer. #WeAreMessi pic.twitter.com/9rh4jaZWYL

— We Are Messi 🔟 (@WeAreMessi) May 17, 2018

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Poser explained the thinking behind the overhaul.

“He eliminated processed foods and replaced them with foods rich in vitamins—cereals, vegetables, fish and olive oil,” he said. “He had won everything, but wanted to continue this excellence for years and understood he had to change something. We are talking about a very intelligent and intuitive person.”

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Soda Out, Yerba Mate in

Another significant change Poser encouraged was cutting back on soda, with Messi instead embracing yerba mate.

Not familiar with it? Here’s the quick version. Yerba mate is a caffeinated herbal drink traditionally consumed in South America. It provides a notable caffeine boost and is also rich in antioxidants, while containing vitamins such as B and C.

Messi quickly became a devoted fan. He has regularly been photographed drinking mate and has even shared pictures of himself with the drink on social media. The habit has also become a familiar part of Argentina’s soccer culture. According to The New York Times, the Argentina squad brought around 1,100 pounds of yerba mate with them to the Middle East for the 2022 World Cup.

Messi has also spoken openly about how his preferences changed over time.

“I like my mate hot and bitter,” he told MARCA in 2019. “I used to drink it sweet, but then got used to the bitterness.”

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Messi’s Favorite Meal

Barcelona once gave fans a glimpse into one of Messi’s go-to meals, revealing his favorite recipe on the club’s official website. The dish is a simple roasted chicken dinner built around root vegetables, olive oil and fresh herbs.

The recipe calls for 30g of olive oil, salt, four smashed garlic cloves, one onion, a bunch of carrots, one leek, 700–800g of potatoes, four chicken thighs and fresh thyme.

The preparation is just as straightforward. The oven is heated to 200°C (400°F) before the vegetables are chopped and added to a roasting tray with olive oil and salt. The chicken and remaining ingredients are then added before the whole dish is roasted until cooked through.

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Balance Is Key

Messi is still going strong. | Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

For all the discipline that has gone into reshaping Messi’s diet, the Argentine has never completely eliminated the foods he enjoys.

Messi has admitted that he has a serious sweet tooth, naming “chocolate, dulce de leche (caramel) and ice cream” among his biggest weaknesses.

“I like anything sweet. I try not to eat too much of it, but I like it,” he said.

Messi has also been known to enjoy wine from time to time and has his own sports drink brand, Mas+, which he drinks alongside water during his post-playing career fitness and training routines.

The occasional indulgence is part of the balance. Messi’s diet may be far more disciplined than it was during his younger years, but he clearly hasn’t decided that staying at the top means giving up every last bit of enjoyment along the way.

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